


The Western Air Temple

by Fangirlwriting



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: But it's Zuko so he doesn't show it that great, Episode: s03e12 The Western Air Temple, Gen, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, POV Iroh (Avatar), i wrote this accidentally, seriously, that should be a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25679647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirlwriting/pseuds/Fangirlwriting
Summary: It's been less than a week since Zuko was banished, and Iroh is just trying to figure out how to get his nephew to take the time to rest that he needs, as well as reflecting on some facts of life.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 59





	The Western Air Temple

“What a stunning view,” Iroh said, looking out across the mountain the Western Air Temple was built on.

“The only view I’m interested in seeing is the avatar in chains,” Zuko said.

Iroh tried not to sigh aloud. “You know, the avatar hasn’t been seen for 100 years,” he said. “The chances of finding him here are very slim.”

“First we’ll check each of the air temples,” Zuko said, completely ignoring his statement. “Then we’ll scour the world, searching even the most remote locations until we find him.”

“Prince Zuko,” Iroh said gently. “It’s only been a week since your banishment. You should take some time to heal and rest.”

“What else would I expect to hear from the laziest man in the Fire Nation?!” Zuko snapped. His tone was a far cry different from how he had addressed him a week ago, but Iroh didn’t find it hard not to take it personally. This time, however he did sigh aloud.

“The only way to regain my honor is to find the avatar,” Zuko said, the determination Iroh had come to know from his nephew settling itself firmly into his voice. “So I will.”

Iroh resisted the urge to sigh once again and turned to walk towards the buildings of the Western Air Temple. Like he’d said, it wasn’t hard not to take Zuko’s anger personally. Zuko was angry less at Iroh and more at the world and the circumstances it had placed him in. And he had a right to be so. He had certainly not been treated kindly as of late.

The air temple they found themselves in was certainly beautiful. Iroh could only imagine the history that could be found in this place if only he had the time to really observe and take it in. He had made it a goal of his to learn from the other nations ideologies, and it had made him a much stronger firebender, and taught him quite a bit about life and different ways to look at it. But it had been quite a challenge to learn much about the airbenders, especially growing up as a Fire Nation Prince.

Iroh had been taught about his grandfather Sozin’s decision to massacre the airbenders from a young age. It had been displayed to him as a great victory to show their strength to the world, but as the years went on that had become less and less what he had taken from it. He was certain at this point that he would not make the same decision if given the opportunity.

He had never been against the war. The Fire Nation had been his home until very recently and to see them succeed had always been something he wished for. But he wasn’t quite sure he was in support of the war either, anymore. He would spend time reflecting and working out his own feelings on the matter as they traveled. But one thing he certainly did not need time to figure out were his feelings towards his brother’s punishment of his nephew.

Iroh looked back towards where Zuko had been standing. Zuko had already vanished, likely to begin searching the other areas of the temple for the avatar. His nephew had been treated incredibly cruelly by his brother, and that was something Iroh could not forgive him for. Not when he thought back on the small boy he had seen playing with his mother, feeding the turtle ducks and practicing firebending, all with a gentle and caring nature that Iroh had not valued at the time as much as he should.

Perhaps those instincts were still somewhere inside Zuko. The way he stood up for the soldiers at the war meeting could be proof of this. Perhaps he simply needed a chance to be shown that they were not a weakness, as his father had tried so hard to teach him.

Iroh walked towards the direction where he heard Zuko’s footsteps echoing in the large empty temple. He would wear himself out sooner rather than later, and Iroh needed to be there in case he collapsed. They were on the side of a mountain, and he would never forgive himself if Zuko fell.

He would make sure to let him sleep as long as possible tomorrow. No matter how much Zuko insisted otherwise, he needed time to rest. He would never find the avatar if he overworked himself to the point of exhaustion.

Zuko was climbing a set of stairs when Iroh found him, and breathing harshly in the way that Iroh knew meant he was already tiring himself out. He reached into his bag and pulled out a flask of tea he had brought with him.

“Zuko,” he said, walking up the steps and catching up to his nephew easily. “Drink something. You need to keep up your strength if you are going to continue your search.”

Zuko glared back at him before snatching the flask. Iroh made a mental note to refer to resting as a way to regain strength in the future. Zuko could be more likely to heed his advice if he did.

Zuko took a swig from the flask before his face scrunched up in surprise and he spit it out on the steps in front of him. “What is this?” he snapped. “This isn’t water.”

“I made some green tea,” Iroh said. “It’s good for regaining energy.”

Zuko gave Iroh another glare before taking another drink and starting up the steps again. “It’s alright, I guess,” he grumbled. He took another drink and made it to the top of the stairs without breathing any heavier than he had been before, so Iroh counted it as a win.

They reached the top of the steps to find a long hallway ahead of them, and Iroh switched sides to make sure he was walking closer to the edge of the mountain lest Zuko slip. Zuko didn’t seem to notice this, and Iroh wondered if that would be the result of most of his coming efforts, or if it was just because it was so soon after his injury and banishment and he was still tired, in pain and irritable.

For now, Iroh put it out of his mind as they started the long journey ahead.


End file.
